Douglas Chapman has recently become the director of training for Sticks Training Center, which opened in Brighton on March 8. Chapman offers his Hyperfit USA program, applying a variety of training techniques he has formed in over 20 years of training.

Chapman, a collegiate wrestler, worked with Smith Barney as a financial consultant for 5 1/2 years.

He served in the Navy for six years, training soldiers. In 2001 Chapman began to train athletes and created a Boot Camp. Hyperfit USA was born in 2004, located at 670 Airport Boulevard.

"For Hyperfit USA my goal was to establish elite functional training for the masses," Chapman said. He described functional training: "You learn how to move your body, how to move other objects - how humans have been moving from the dawn of time."

Chapman met Chris Tamer, previously a University of Michigan and NHL player. When Tamer worked to establish Sticks Training Center, specializing in hockey training, the two decided to incorporate Hyperfit USA training classes.

"This is training I wish I had in high school and college," Chapman said. "The strength and conditioning we did during college was either bodybuilding isolation work or Hammer-strength-type training. While making you stronger overall, the results were segmented and didn't integrate to teach you better movement."

The center is at 10500 Citation Drive, near I-96 and US-23, and Kensington Valley Hockey Association - one of the largest youth hockey organizations in Michigan. The facility is 3,500 square feet - about 2,000 square feet dedicated to the main training area and approximately 1,000 square feet for a hockey shooting area. Chapman estimates start-up costs between $40,000 and $50,000. He also estimates that opening day brought in 100 to 150 customers.

Chapman said he and Tamer aimed to have Sticks Training Center established before the summer season to offer summer camps and to provide training, including off-ice training - to athletes during preseasons.

Chapman said he is looking to establish another Hyperfit USA facility in Canton by the end of the year, preferably near another gym.

INSIGHTS

•Best way to keep competitive edge: Constant education.

•Personal hero: Ayn Rand.

•How do you motivate people: Basically, I motivate people with my classes and my employees - You have to know what people really want ... people want to feel fit and feel strong. You have to train the person's mind, to show them they can do it.

•How do you motivate yourself: My clients motivate me. We have a client named Nancy, 58 years old, who now deadlifts 225 pounds. If you work with people like this, how can you not be motivated?